Book holder



Oct. 8, 1929. w. JUNG I 1,730,371

BOOK HOLDER Fild June 20, 1927 2 Sheets-$heet 1 L. W. JUNG Oct. 8, 1929.

BOOK HOLDER Filed June 20, 192'! 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mm r...

Patented Oct. 8, 1929 LOUIS W. JUNG, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS BOOK HOLDERApplication filed June 20,

My invention relates to improvements in portable bookcases especiallyadapted for holding an associated set of books in convenient positionfor ready reference and reading when the case is opened.

The object of my invention is to provide adevice of the charactermentioned which, when opened for use, shall automatically place theseveral books in convenient arrange- 1O ment for use, and, when closed,shall present a neat and compact case for carrying the books; whichshall, when opened up, automatically hold one book at such an angle tothe others that it may be conveniently read; in which parts shall beprovided which shall hold the inclined book in a desired open conditionwhen the case is opened; and which case shall have space provided forreceiving said parts when the case is closed without encroaching uponthe spaces occupied by the contained books.

A further feature of importancerelates to the arrangement of bookcarriers within the case, arranged to receive bothcover members of eachbook, and such carriers so arranged in relation to the main body of thecase that when the carriers are opened and the books extend beyond theends of the main. body the books will be supported in substantially fiatopen condition.

Another important feature relates to the relative sizes of theseveralbook carriers as to thickness and the books which they are adapted tocarry, the carriers on the main 3 body portion being adapted to carry athinner book at one side than at the other, and the third carrier beingadapted to be placed in contact with the thinner of the two books on themain body portion when the case is closed, thus preserving the case inneat parallel thickness from end to end when closed.

Other features of importance will become evident from the followingdescription and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings illustrating my invention and in which Fig. 1, is a perspectiveview of the case shown opened up for use;

Fig. 2, is a perspective view of the case i closed condition; y 1

1927. Serial no. 199,985.

Fig. 3, is a fragmentary, longitudinal, sectional View taken on the line33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4, is a longitudinal, sectional view taken on the line l4: of Fig.l;

Fig. 5, is a similar view on the line 55 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6, is a similar view on the line 66 of Fig. 2; I v

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary, longitudinal, sectional view on the line 7-7 ofFig. 1; and

Fig. 8 is a small perspective view of the holder showing the three booksin position and open.

. In said drawings 1 represents the main body of the case which is madeof fairly rigid material, such as reinforced leather or suitable boardcovered'with leather, and consists of two fiat side members 2 and 3joined at their longitudinal edges by top and bottom fiat members 4and'5 respectively, and a flat closing member 6. The several members 2,3, 4, 5 and 6 are hinged together at their longitudinal edgesby theleather coverings, bothinside and out, so that they can be readilyopened up into the relation shown in Fig. 1, in which position thecontained books can be conveniently read, and they can also be closedtogether to cover the books and form a portable case therefor, as bestshown in Fig. 2. The closing member or flap 6 overlaps the free edge ofthe body member 3 when the case is closed and isadapted to be secured inclosed position by two snap fasteners 7 of the common well known kind.For convenience in carrying 8 the case a suitablestrap handle 8 issecured to the top member L as best shown in Fig. 2. Within the case onthe body member 2 is secured a book-carrying member which comprises anumber ofsemi-stiff member s hinged together at their edges and arrangedto open up transversely of the case, as best shown in Fig. 1. Thisbook-carrying memher 9 comprises a-middle flat 'part 10., an outer flatpart 11 at one end and another 95 fiat part 11( at the other, end joinedto the outer edges of the middle part 10 by intermediate narrower fiatparts 12 and 12 respectively. The member!) is equal in width to thewidth of'the part 2 and the middle part 10 is enough shorter than thebody part 2 to provide spaces 13 at the ends of the case when the caseis closed. The middle part 10 is secured to the body part 2 throughoutits extent and the end parts 11 and 11 are adapted to be folded overwithin the case to enclose thebooks carried thereby. The middle part 10has a fiat sheet 14 secured at its lateral edges 15 thereto and free ofthe part 10 at its transverse edges 16 whereby the sheet 14 forms twopockets 18 and 18, each of which is adapted to receive one cover of abook, as indicated in dotted lines at 19 and 19, Fig. 6. The outer endsof the outer or extension parts 11 and 11' of the sheet 9 are turnedback inwardly and their lateral edges are stitched down, as shown at 20and 20? respectively, Fig. 1, to form pockets 21, 21 respectively, Fig.4, to receive the other cover members of the books 19, 19 respectively.These outer parts are adapted to be turned over inwardly when the books19, 19 are closed preparatory to closing the case, as shown in Fig. 6.As shown, the parts are of such relative proportions that when the books19, 19 are closed the spaces 13 are left beyond the backs of the booksat the ends of the case. As shown, a pencil-holding loop 22 is providedprojecting between the adjacent inner edges of the books 19, 19, thatis, at the middle line of the sheet 9, and the pencil is adapted to liebetween the opposed front edges of the two books 19, 19.

As shown, the book 19 is thicker than the book 19 and thebook-containing members are made to fit the books theyare to contain,and the case is made of a thickness to accommodate the thicker book,consequently the right hand end of the case, as shown in Fig. 6, wouldnot be as full as the left hand. end. I arrange the books in this mannerto provide a space to receive the relatively thin bookor pamphlet which.is carried on the part 3 of the case, as will be explained further.

For the purpose of retaining a book on the upper part 3 of the case, Iprovide a sheet 23 similar to the sheet 9 but somewhat shorter andsecured to the part 3 at'its transverse center-line only, by a line ofstitching 2 1. The outer end portions 25 of the sheet 23 are folded overinwardly and stitched at their upper and lower edges to the body of thesheet 23, as shown at. 26, forming onposed pockets 27, Fig. 5, forreceiving the.

cover members of a relatively thin book, indicated by the dottedoutline23, 1. The two end portions carryin the pockets 27 can be swung overeither way upon the line of stitching 24 as a hinge. The part 3 of thecase is adapted to be held in a relatively inclined position, asindicated in Fig. 1, by

limiting straps 28, onefat each end. ,One end of each of the straps issecured to the part 2 of the case and the opposite end of each strap issecured to the part 3 of the case. These straps 28, as best shown inFig. 2, occupy the spaces 13 at the ends of the case and are not longenough to permit the adjacent parts 2, 5 and 3 of the case to lie outflat when the case is opened, but serve to retain the part 3 in anupwardly inclined position, in which position the book held thereon canbe readilyread when the books 19, 19 are lying ina horizontal position.The one end 29 of each of the straps 28 is secured tightly along bothedges to the main part 2 of the case, as indicated at 30, Figs. 1 and 3,but the oppositeends 31 of these straps are secured at their outer edgesonly to the part 3 of the case, as indicated at 32, leaving the upperends of the straps free of the part o of the case along their inneredges. This construction permits the upper ends 31 of the straps 28 tobe used to hold down the two book-holding members 27 fiat upon themember 3 of the case when it is desired to read or to refer to the bookheld thereon. This construction also permits the book or pamphlet heldby the parts 23 to be closed over in either direction, as may bedesired. This is of advantage as the two books 19, 19 as usuallyemployed are not of the same thickness and the book held on the part 3can be closed in either direction, so that it can be arranged to lieover the thinner of the two books 19, 19 when the case is closed. As

shown in Fig. 6, both the parts 23 of the pamphlet holder, when closedupon each each other and swung over together upon the member 3 of thecase, can have their tree edges tucked beneath the strap member 28 tohold this holder in closed condition preparatory to closing the case.

In the form of case illustrated in the'drawings, the book 19 at theright hand end is the thinner, and consequently in closing the case thebook, or pamphlet 23', is first closed over to the right so that whenthe case is closed it will lie in contact with the thinner book 19' andmake up the diflerence in the thickness of the two books 19 and 19 andcause the case to'have an even thickness from end to end and assist inretaining the case in a proper even thickness condition.

A ribbon marker 83 may be provided secured at one end to the middleportion of the sheet 23 and adapted to be placed between the pages ofthe book secured in the pockets 27, at the point'atwhich it is desiredto open said book.

The pocket parts 11, 11 are made up preferably of leather, paper andmuslin, and are provided with suitably placed hinge lines so that theyproperly follow the books 19, 19' when the same are opened and closed.Then the books 19, 19 are opened, as indicated'in Fig. 4, their outerparts extend beyond the ends of the case, but they do not sag down toany undue extent beyond the planeof the side member 2 of the case, asthe construction of the book-holding members 11 and 11 of paper, muslinand leather makes them rigid enough to support the books insubstantially horizontal position, even though the case is not laid upona table or desk. The spaces 13, 18 at the ends of the case in realitypro vide supporting extensions for the books when they are open andassist the book holders in preventing the sagging down of the outerparts of the books.

It will be seen, as shown in Fig. 4, that the portions of the holders 11and 11 which form the backs thereof lie in contact with the extensionsof the case when the books are open, thus assisting in supporting thebooks in horizontal open condition. In fact, only one hinge line of eachholder projects beyond the case when the books are open and the construction of the holders prevents this from letting the books sag. Thisfeature is of great advantage as it makes the device serve as a lap orhand desk for presenting the three books in convenient readingpositions. In which positions they can all be readily referred to andtheir pages turned.

As many modifications of my invention will readily suggest themselves toone skilled in the art, I do not limit or confine my invention to thespecific details of construction herein shown and described.

I claim:

1. In a device of the kind described, a main body portion havingfoldable members and pockets therein for receiving the cover members ofbooks, the foldable members when in closed condition being shorter as awhole than the main body portion and adapted to provide open'free spaceswithin the ends of the folded device, an auxiliary body portion foldableover the main body portion when the device is closed and adapted to beswung outwardly into a relatively inclined position when the device isopened, limiting members attached at their end portions to the main andauxiliary body portions adapted to occupy said free end spaces when thedevice is closed and to retain said auxiliary body member in arelatively inclined position when the device is open.

2. In a device of the kind described, a main body portion, a foldablesheet secured thereto and provided with pockets for receiving the covermembers of two books, the foldable sheet adapted to form abook-enclosing space shorter than the said main body portion andproviding free open spaces at the ends of the device when in closedcondition, an auxiliary body portion adapted to fold over the main bodyportion when the device is closed and to extend at an angle thereto whenthe device s open, limiting connectors secured at their ends to said twobody portions and adapted to retain them at their relatively inclinedpositions when the device isopen, an auxiliary foldable member securedto said auxiliary body portion along its transverse middle line only,the two end portions thereof provided with book cover-receiving pocketsand adapted to be swung over into contact with each other in eitherdirection, said limiting connectors having free edges beneath which theouter free edges of said two end portions may be tucked to hold saidauxiliary foldable member in spread out condition.

3. In a device of the kind described, a main portion member, abook-carrying member carried thereby, an auxiliary body portion,limiting connectors secured at their ends to said two body portions andadapted to retain them in relatively inclined positions when he deviceis open, a foldable member secured to said auxiliary body portion at itsmiddle portion only, the two parts thereof provided withbook-cover-receiving pockets and adapted to be folded over in eitherdirection, said limiting connectors having free edge portions beneathwhich the free edges of the foldable end portions of said foldablemember can be tucked to hold said foldable member in spread outcondition.

l. In a device of the kind described, a main body portion, a foldablemember carried thereby provided with book-cover pockets for holding twobooks, an auxiliary body portion adapted to be swung out to a relativelyinclined position and a limiting member permanently connected at itsends to said two body portions and adapted to retain them in relativelyinclined. positions when the device is open.

5. In a combined book case and desk, a case comprising relatively rigid,flat members, pockets on one of said members for receiving and retainingthe covers of two associated reference books of different thicknesses,pockets on another member for receiving and retaining the cover membersof a third associated book, the two members joined by suitable caseparts and adapted to be closed toward each other when the case isclosed, the pockets on the third member hinged to the member atsubstantially its medium line so that the book carried thereby can bearranged in closed condition and in contact with the thinner of said twofirst mentioned books of the books in horizontal position when the booksare opened.

7. In a device of the kind described, a case having rigid sides, a bookholder carried by one of the sides, the holder provided with a pocketfor each cover of the book to be held therein, the holder arranged Withits back adjacent to but spaced from the end of the case, the side uponwhich the holder is mounted projecting beyond the back of the holderWhen closed and the back adapted to lie upon the projecting part of theside when the holder is open and whereby the holder and its book issupported in horizontal position.

8. In a device of the kind described, a case made up of a number ofrelatively rigid flat members hinged together, two opposed book holdersmounted on one of said members, each holder having a part containing apocket adapted to receive a cover of a book and said part hinged to saidmember on a line spaced inwardly from the adjacent end of the mem her,said hinged part, When the book is open, extending beyond the end of themember, and the end of the member Which projects beyond the hingeserving as a support for the hinged part When the book is open.

9. In a device of the kind described, case composed of a number of fiatrelatively rigid members hinged together at their adjacent edges andadapted to close together to form a case, or to be opened up to form acombined book holder and desk, book retainers on one of said membersarranged With their backs spaced inwardly from the opposite ends of saidmember, and provided with pockets for each cover of the book to be held,the container permitting the books to be opened out fiat, the ends ofthe member on Which the containers are mounted extending beyond thecontainers when they are closed, such extending ends being adapted tosupport the containers and their books in flat condi tion When open.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, this 31st day of May,1927.

LOUIS W. JUNG.

